Canadian Television Host Loses Job Over Brokering Art Deals to Guests

Here’s the short version explaining why Canadian TV host Evan Solomon lost his job:

Bruce Bailey wanted to sell some of his large collection of artwork, and in October, 2013, he signed a contract with Mr. Solomon – with whom he has been friends for years – to introduce him to prospective buyers. Over the two years of their business arrangement, Mr. Bailey paid commissions to Mr. Solomon that, in at least one case, topped $300,000. In their communications, they described the buyers by codewords: “The Guv” for Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, and “Anka” for businessman Jim Balsillie.

And here’s a bit of the longer version from The Toronto Star:

The Star found Solomon had been brokering the sale of paintings and masks owned by a flamboyant Toronto-area art collector to rich and famous buyers. Solomon, in at least one case, took commissions in excess of $300,000 for several pieces of art and did not disclose to the buyer that he was being paid fees for introducing buyer and seller. […]

Among the people to whom Solomon has brokered the sale of paintings are Jim Balsillie, co-founder of Research In Motion (now BlackBerry) and Mark Carney, the former Bank of Canada governor and current governor of the Bank of England.

Solomon, as a journalist, has dealt with both men in his high-profile host jobs at the CBC. Carney, who is also a friend, has been a guest on both of Solomon’s shows.

Solomon met Balsillie while courting him as a journalist two years ago in unsuccessful attempts to get him on CBC to discuss sustainable development and small businesses, as well as Balsillie’s role in backing the search for the Franklin expedition ships.